So I've been told

I've always heard "You're selling yourself short!". Constantly, actually.

After pouring over articles, books, and magazines about "How to Price Your Work" I came up with my own personal way to satisfy myself and my customer. I didn't want to live with the guilt of making a buyer pay $900 for a 16x20 painting that took me 14 hours to do. My way of pricing things may not be ever in my favor, but I am fair. And that makes me happy. 

I charge my customer for what my time is worth and for the supplies that it takes me to make the painting. It varies a little bit, but my constant is that I keep up with my time on an excel spreadsheet and I simply plug in the numbers. I don't really have any other expenses, I work from a home office/studio so I'm passing this lack of other expenses on to my customers. This is my full time job, I'm never going to stop painting so why not make my work affordable to the public. 

I have also come across the problem of people telling me my work is too expensive for them and try to bargain their way down to a major discount. Reasonable negotiations are welcomed, but please respect that I must get paid, too. My prices are fair and I stand for that.

My ultimate goal is to make art a presence in everyone's life, and to put my art in every home. I want everyone to appreciate art and to be able to afford it if they want it. Sure, my art is a "luxury item" and a couple extra hundred or even $50 may take a little bit to let go of, especially if you have never bought art before, and in this economy... If you've thought to yourself "I'd like to have that", there is a reason. Art "speaks" to you and either reminds you of a memory or makes you feel a certain way. Purchasing art is an investment and can be passed down from generation to generation.

So, my affordable prices do not reflect a lack of self worth, they simply reflect a simple and reasonable calculation. I could go on and on, but these particular thoughts are on my mind now and I needed to say them. All of this is my personal findings/thoughts, but other visual artists have very different other opinions. For each your own.

Things went well!

I'm an artist, not a writer. So that is my excuse for not posting much on here.

I would love to thank each and everyone of you for coming out to the Fence Show and said hello! The fence show was definitely one to never forget! I had friends from Delaware come out with "I heart Samantha Floyd Fine Art" shirts! I've even had several people tell me they came by my fence space but I was always so busy with people stopping and saying hello and asking about my art that they couldn't get a word in! Deepest apologies, but it's good to be that busy sometimes, right?

Thanks so much to everyone that came out and supported me!

Refreshing Myself

This weekend I had the opportunity to take a workshop led by the wonderful Patrizia Vignola. This workshop was a drapery study with charcoal. When I saw this workshop I knew I had to do it. It took me literally a month to fight myself and sign up for it. The reason: I dislike drawing. Drawing is a must have skill in the art world, there is no way around it and no doubt about it.

Walking into the workshop was nerve racking. She quickly began to refresh the students on the shapes, shadows, and types of drawing techniques. I stood there thinking to myself "Oh crap, I haven't drawn in 3 years, what if I suck?". When we sat down to begin drawing, it took me a while to even put one mark on my paper. I was overwhelmed. However, once I let out a big breath, that first mark quickly became a mind consuming whirl. I had dived back in to the world of drawing as easily as I had slipped out of it 3 years ago. I couldn't believe how familiar the charcoal felt in my hand. Before I knew it, the class had 30 minutes left to it! Patrizia had put a very ambitious drapery on the wall, so no one really finished their drawings. But I was very proud of myself that I had opened myself up and conquered my fear of "being bad" at drawing because after stepping back from the drawing, it looked quite alright!

I will be doing more drapery studies and more drawing studies from now on. Being a painter isn't just about painting. I have to refresh myself and be a well rounded artist!

Here is the unfinished drapery drawing.

I also want to remind everyone that I still have a few 2011 artworks on a discount. I am getting a bit cramped in my studio and must make room for more! Please see my previous blog post to see this sale or click here http://samanthafloydart.blogspot.com/2012/07/making-room-for-more-great-deals-for-you.html

Trying to clear up some questions:

So I have been asked a lot about sizes of canvas... Unless you have the canvas right in front of you, it is hard to imagine how large it would be on your wall. I've been asked to take photos of my work and compare them to objects and people. So I have done just that! I really hope this helps and I can always take more photos in the future!

My wonderful fiance helping me out! :) From left to right the sizes are: 30x40, 24x30, 18x24, 16x20, 12x16

Showing them again with object to compare them to.

And this is a 30x40 (Boats, 2010) on my living room wall.